NAIROBI, Kenya – Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Mony Odhiambo has officially resigned from the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests, where she served as Vice Chairperson, citing judicial intervention that halted the panel’s work.
In her statement on Monday, October 6, Odhiambo said the High Court’s suspension of the panel’s operations had rendered its 120-day mandate “impractical to achieve,” as key milestones could not be met within the court-imposed timeline.
“Accordingly, I have today handed in my formal and immediate resignation from the position of Vice Chairperson of the Panel to the Head of Public Service,” she stated, emphasizing that her decision was rooted in a commitment to preserve the integrity of the rule of law.
Odhiambo noted that the country stands at a constitutional crossroads, calling on all justice institutions, especially the LSK, to remain steadfast in safeguarding democratic governance.
“This consequential moment for our country calls for all rule of law institutions to remain unified and resolute,” she said.
The LSK boss lamented that despite the panel’s formation to deliver justice for victims of police excesses during public protests, its work had been stalled by the September 8 ruling by Justice Magare Dennis Kizito, which issued conservatory orders against the government’s framework for compensation.
The ruling suspended Gazette Notice No. 12002 of August 23, 2025, pending full determination of a petition filed by activist Levi Munteri.
President William Ruto had appointed an 18-member panel on August 25 to design a compensation framework for victims of demonstrations dating back to 2017.
Despite her resignation, Odhiambo reaffirmed her commitment to victims’ rights, vowing to continue pursuing justice through the LSK.
“My commitment to agitate for the rights of victims remains impregnable. We will keep moving the courts to expedite hearings on cases of police excesses,” she said.
Earlier today, I tendered my resignation from the position of the Vice Chairperson of the @compensationke. I will continue to agitate for Justice for all Victims, and pursue all key deliverables I had set out to attain.
She further proposed that Kenya’s legal system must shift from “a punitive, perpetrator-focused process” to a victim-centred reparations framework, anchored on dignity, rehabilitation, and accountability.
Among her outlined deliverables, Odhiambo pledged to push for:
- Memorialisation of victims and publication of their stories to honour their sacrifice;
- Tracking and identification of unreported cases of police brutality;
- Judicial directions to fast-track all cases involving protest victims; and
- Legislative reform to strengthen protection for demonstrators.
Her resignation marks a major development in the government’s compensation initiative, whose future now hangs in the balance amid legal battles and growing pressure from human rights defenders for broader institutional accountability.
